


Secret Dash-Mas

by Kazduit



Category: Red Band Society
Genre: Dash's POV, Secret Santa, Spoilers for Episode 10, friendship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 18:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2859953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazduit/pseuds/Kazduit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is one of the fics I'm writing for the Red Band Society fic exchange. It is gifted to all of the participants. </p><p>I was given two prompts for this story: Dash, and a fic about all of the red bander's friendships. So I decided to combine them into a story about Dash's relationships with the others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secret Dash-Mas

**Author's Note:**

> I did a quick edit but really wanted to post around Christmas so I apologize for any mistakes.
> 
> This fic takes place after the events of episode 10

Life in a hospital has it's ups and downs. To Dash it’s like summer camp. Only where the councillors are nurses and doctors and instead of fun summer activities they have surgeries, chemo therapy, actual therapy and organ transplants (if you're lucky). But still they try to make their own fun and not dwell on their shitty diseases. For the most part it works, except apparently for what’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year.

 

The nurses have decorated the hallways, a mall santa came to see the younger kids and carols are played all day over the loud speaker. Unfortunately all of that has only served to remind everyone that there in a hospital battling with life and death instead of waking up early to open presents found under Christmas trees at home. 

 

Families are already starting to fill the patient rooms with gifts and promises of coming back to spend Christmas. Dash’s family for instance had brought their own decorations from home and covered his room in Christmas cheer. Kara pretended to gag every time she walked by his room but Dash loved it. Christmas was his favourite holiday by far. Ever since he was a kid he loved how no matter what was going on at home Christmas would always make things better. If his parents were fighting they'd call a cease fire for the holiday's. Feuds and grudges would be forgotten and the whole family would gather together for cheer and general merriment and this year was going to be no different. His parents were going to come spend Christmas morning with him and visits from the rest of his family planned for the whole next week. 

 

Though he can tell his fellow red banders are not feeling the Christmas spirit. The other day Leo snapped at Jordi when he started humming the Little Drummer Boy during on of their meetings and he actually saw Kara rip the head off a cardboard elf decoration. Enough is enough, Dash decides, it's time to take matters into his own hands. His friends need some holiday cheer and he's going to give it to them whether they like it or not.

 

He starts by calling his dad and asking to appropriate a few more of the decorations that fill their attic at home. Six of the miniature Christmas tree’s they used three years ago when they decorated the front lawn in dozens of Christmas trees. They had, like every other year, won the neighbourhood contest for best decorated house. His dad agrees and offers to send his cousins to help him set them up but Dash insists it’s something he should do himself. 

 

The next step is Nurse Jackson. While Dash internally groans at the thought of letting her or anyone else in the hospital for that matter, see his more corny, Christmas loving side, no expense can be sparred for Operation Secret Dash-Mas. When she comes in the next morning to remind him of his oxygen treatment he has a letter, written and waiting detailing his plans. It’s a little too classic Hughes for Dash’s taste but he knows that if he tries to talk through his treatment she’ll be less likely to help. After reading the letter she looks up at Dash and says, “well it’s about time someone in this hospital had some holiday spirit.” It turns out Nurse Jackson is a fan of the fat man in red too.

 

She agrees to pick up the presents for him and since he can’t sneak out of the hospital as often as he’d like to without someone noticing he’s going to have to trust her to follow his instructions. She also offers to help pay but Dash is a Christmas expert and would never pay retail for a present anyway.

 

First up is Charlie. He still can’t move much but he’s gotten function back in one of his hands and can wiggle all ten toes. His doctor’s are optimistic and red banders are there everyday to offer support. He’s not the best typist and tends to keep his words and answers short. So when it comes to getting him something Dash only knows of two things he likes and pizza for Christmas is just lazy. Dash sneaks into his room when he’s sleeping and grabs one of the origami Terra-Raptors from his bedside table then he calls the paper shop Emma, Leo and Jordi went to and makes a special request. Nurse Jackson takes them the creature and a week later goes to pick up the final product. That night Dash sneaks back into Charlie and Kara’s room. He sets up one of the miniature trees. He decorates it with fifty different little red and green origami creatures and instead of a star on top he puts the specially made 11 inches tall origami Terra-Raptor. It’s a bright golden yellow and makes for the perfect star. He finishes the while thing off with a printed note on the far wall, several pages long and in a large enough font that Charlie will be able to read it from his bed. “Merry Christmas, Charlie.”

 

After Charlie’s tree is found he has to work quickly. Hunter is next because Dash thinks he’ll be the least likely to figure out who’s behind it. Not because he’s dumb but because he still keeps himself separate from the group. He’s only in the hospital until he recovers from his liver transplant so Dash has to make this one count. Dash knows even less about Hunter then he does Charlie but sticking to a classic seems like a safe bet and if Hunter was anything he was a classic bad boy with a hidden heart of gold. With a limited budget there’s only one place to get what’s he’s looking for and that’s a used clothing store. He knows a some good ones and makes a few calls. The third store he trues has what he’s looking for and is willing to cater to his requests. That night he leaves a slightly worn in, dark brown leather jacket under a tree in Hunter’s room. In the pocket he leaves a card. “Previously owned by Jackson Scott. Merry Christmas Hunter.” He doesn’t say anything to anyone but Dash sees the jacket on the foot of his bed when he walks by.

 

After Hunter is Kara. He knows she’ll know who her gift his from but he’s trusted her with this secret before so he’s hoping he can trust her again. Spray paint is too hard to get a hold of and too life threatening to him to get past Nurse Jackson so for the first time since he was admitted Dash picks up a paintbrush. He could go superficial and just scratch the surface of who she is or do a portrait but Dash wants to give Kara something no one else will be able to this Christmas, she deserves it. He paints the background black and in the centre a vibrant pink and red heart. Hiding a drying canvas in his room is harder than he thought it would be but sneaking into Kara’s side of the room is easy. He attaches her note on the back. “Merry Christmas Kara. Proof that deep down inside you still have one.”

 

Leo was intended to be his next target but when Emma’s parents rush her back in through the emergency room his plans change. She doesn’t wake up right away and everyone’s afraid they might have another coma on their hands but two days of getting fed nutrients through an IV and she’s awake. From past experience he knows the gift he wants to get her can get pricy and while Nurse Jackson can be scary he knows nothing about her haggling skills. The book store is old and most of the books are covered in dust, it’s not the best place for his lungs but it’s probably why he’s able to talk the clerk down to a three for one sale. On her second morning awake Emma finds three copies of her favourite book, Jane Erye, all different out of print editions with beautiful covers. The note tucked into on of them says, “Merry Christmas Emma. Choose yourself this time.”

 

At this point Dash knows he’s giving himself away but he’s so close to the finish line that it doesn’t matter anymore. He wants to go personal with Leo’s gift but nothing feels right. Leo is quite possibly the most guarded of them all and recently Dash feels like he knows less about Leo than he thought he did. Leo’s going to be the next to go home and Dash knows it so he chooses a gift that he hopes will inspire Leo never to give up. Dash was never a fan of the idea of Leo quitting soccer anyway. He gives Leo an Arsenal jersey with his name on it and a matching soccer ball. “Merry Christmas Leo. Just in case you’re still around and kicking next year.” 

 

Jordi is last and his gift is the hardest to get but when it arrives in the mail Dash hurries to slip into his room on Christmas Eve. He sets up the tree and puts the note and an envelope amongst the branches. Dash called every Palacios in the phonebook until he found Jordi’s grandmother. She refuses to  come visit. She makes excuses but the obvious truth is she doesn’t want to see Jordi in the hospital. It’s hard to see someone you love going through Chemo but it’s probably even harder if you don’t believe it will work. She sends a letter instead. “Merry Christmas Jordi. You’re not alone.” Dash doesn’t read it when Jordi’s mood visibly brightens he has a feeling it was worth all those phone calls.

 

[This](http://krocklive.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/heart-painting.jpg) is the painting I used as the one Dash made for Kara. 


End file.
